Wonderful Cuba - tailor-made

Travel through Cuba from the iconic capital of Havana to the tobacco fields of rural Viñales, from the cobbled streets of UNESCO-listed Trinidad to the elegance of seaside Cienfuegos. Meet village farmers, dance the night away to live music and learn about Cuba’s chequered history at the famous Bay of Pigs. This Cuban journey takes in the country’s best cultural and natural highlights, and is rich with local experiences – and opportunities to relax on white-sand beaches - along the way.

Tailor-made pricing

This itinerary has been designed by our private groups’ specialists, including some of our much-loved highlights and hidden gems. You can choose to travel just as you see it here, or we can tailor it to suit your specific wishes – it’s completely bespoke. Maybe you’d like to add a night or two, or have a burning desire to visit somewhere special. We’re here to create your perfect holiday.

Tailor-made itinerary

Arrive in Havana, Cuba’s iconic capital. Havana’s faded grandeur and endless contradictions has seduced travellers for a long-time. Vintage cars chug the streets, music hangs in the air, the sea slaps the Malecon (promenade) walls, and the locals smile their famous smile as you explore the architectural attractions of the Plaza de Armas. Our advice – spend time getting to know Havana, and you won’t be disappointed!

Your local guide will show you the cathedral, Plaza de Armas, San Francisco de Asis, Plaza Vieja and Central Park before heading to Soroa, a lush enclave nestled in a beautiful valley. You'll stop for lunch and a tour of the orchid garden before continuing to small, rural Viñales.

The scenery in Viñales is some of the most picturesque in Cuba, where tobacco and agricultural fields lie side-by-side and limestone outcrops dot the landscape. A walking tour of the farmlands and crops is included today. Viñales is a relaxed, friendly place, and one of the best ways to get to know the locals is by mingling with them – we’ve included a salsa lesson and dinner on an ecological farm so you can do just that.

Time to bid farewell to Viñales – it’s one of our favourite places, and with all sorts of activities on offer from caves, to cycling to hiking, we’d be happy to arrange more time here and fill it with all sorts of fantastic experiences!

The Bay of Pigs is famous as the site of the failed CIA mission to oust Fidel Castro and you’ll learn about the bungled plot in the nearby Giron museum, before continuing on to Cienfuegos. Cienfuegos is an elegant, seaside town with wide boulevards and wonderful buildings. Visit the beautiful Palacio del Valle to soak up the architecture and atmosphere.

Trinidad is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for good reason. Wander its cobbled streets, take photographs of picturesque pastel buildings, stand atop roof terraces admiring the views, and, when you’ve finished your busy day of sightseeing, head to the Casa de la Trova for live Cuban music, salsa dancing (and rum – of course…)!

Today, we have included an orientation walk where you’ll visit the Santeria Priest to learn more about the unique religion followed in this area.

Enjoy a day of free time. Nearby is the Valle de los Ingenios, where sugar plantations stretch out as far as the eye can see. For some seaside fun, head down to Playa Ancon and stroll its long stretches of white sand. The trekking is great in the Sierra del Escambray, the local mountains. A folklore dance and music show in one of the open-air venues is highly recommended – a great chance to immerse yourself in Cuba's African, French and Spanish-influenced music and dance culture. Let us know what you’d like to include and we’ll arrange it for you.

Santa Clara pays homage to Che Guevara in a fascinating museum and monument set in a vast square. The museum houses various artefacts, which provide an insight into the life and thoughts of the now legendary revolutionary. Upon arrival in Havana, stop by Revolution Square and then take a stroll around the grounds of the infamous Hotel Nacional.

Frequently asked questions

On a standard group trip you travel on a set date and itinerary with other people who you may not know. A private group – whether that’s a private departure or tailor-made - is yours exclusively for your family and friends.

On a private departure, you travel on one of our 1,000+ pre-designed group trips on a date of your choice. The idea is you experience the itinerary as many others have enjoyed it before you, but sharing those special moments just between you and your friends.

A tailor-made holiday offers complete flexibility. You can choose the dates, activities, accommodation, transport, special highlights and things you’ve always wanted to see – and we will plan you an itinerary for your budget, whatever that may be.

Intrepid has 1,000+ group trips that cover most of the world. We can plan a private departure for you on most of these. There will be exceptions, usually because logistics and price make it prohibitive to offer the trip but, as a rule, we can do it!

For tailor-made, the suggested itineraries you see on our website are in our favourite destinations. We know these countries well and can deliver a fantastic, bespoke experience in each of them. Because we’re Intrepid, we also have a vast network of global suppliers and trust them to operate wonderful holidays for our customers worldwide. If you don’t see an itinerary or country on our website that you fancy, call us, and we’ll most likely be able to help you.

To and from the UK - yes, we certainly can. And we only add a nominal fee to do it. You can also book your own flights, if you wish. Those travelling from outside the UK would be best to book their own, because it’s likely to be cheaper.

For private departures, it depends on which trip you’d like to travel on. For bigger groups – eight upwards – we can often give you the itinerary at the price you see on the website. We also offer a discount for larger groups, and can include a free-of-charge place for 10+ people, so it might work out cheaper.

A tailor-made itinerary is designed to your budget, so you set the price. You tell us what you want to spend and we will do our very best to deliver your itinerary to that specification. We also have to be realistic – 5* hotels are, of course, a lot more expensive than a hostel. But we have lots of ideas, knowledge and operational experience to help you get the holiday you want at the price you want – and we’ll make suggestions to help you achieve that. For example, we might suggest using a train or local bus for one journey, rather than a private charter; that way you save money, as well as getting a fantastic local experience!

We use a variety of transport to suit the itinerary, destination, terrain and budget for the trip. We could take you from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang by overnight train, or plane. Hop aboard a local bus in Thailand, or sit back in the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle in India. 4WDs are a great way to safari and camels are the ships of the desert. Getting there is all part of the fun.

If you’ve asked us to, we will make sure someone is there to pick you up on arrival at the airport and take you to your first accommodation. Here, your leader or guide will brief you on your itinerary. From there, Intrepid takes care of the logistics. Together with our local suppliers, we will arrange your accommodation, transport, guides and excursions, where they are included. We will smooth the way, so you can get on with enjoying your travels.

You’ll have the full backing of our 24/7 emergency contacts. The joy of a private group? As it’s just you and your friends if you do want to make a slight tweak to the itinerary along the way, such as an extra photo stop, we’ll do our best to accommodate…

Founded in 1988, Intrepid has nearly 30 years’ experience of taking travellers to far-flung corners of the globe. Our operational credentials are second-to-none and we have a global team who will look after you before and during your trip 24 hours a day.

Intrepid also prides itself on its responsible travel credentials. We design our trips to use locally-owned accommodation and suppliers where possible, minimise waste and offer real-life experiences to promote cross-cultural understanding. We also have The Intrepid Foundation, a not-for-profit fund which benefits 50 projects around the world.